The purpose of US visa restriction’s purpose was not to take a side, but to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections in Bangladesh, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
“I will say, as we have said previously, as we said when the secretary announced this new policy in May, that this – the purpose was not to take – to take a side in an election in Bangladesh, but to ensure or to support free, fair, and peaceful national elections in Bangladesh,” he said.
Matthew Miller made the comments at a regular press briefing held at the US State Department on Tuesday.
He said that the visa restriction has been imposed on members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition.
Matthew Miller also noted that the US did not announce the names of individuals on the visa restrictions list because visa records are confidential.
Later, when asked about the main opposition party in Bangladesh issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to the government for the release and overseas medical treatment of their party chairperson, a 78-year-old former prime minister, Miller responded: " I just don’t have any comment on that."
On September 22, the US State Department said in a statement that restrictions regarding visas will be imposed in Bangladesh.
"The US is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshis who obstruct or engage in the democratic election process," the statement said.
These individuals include current and former Bangladeshi officials, law enforcement, judiciary, members of security forces, and members of the ruling party and opposition political parties.
